Real Estate Red Flags

Buying a home is no walk in the park. It takes work yet having a critical eye will help. Just so you know what to look for as you’re going from house to house trying to find the perfect one for you, here are some of the red flags you need to look for in each real estate listing.

Too Many Homes for Sale in One Neighborhood

It never looks good when almost every house in a neighborhood is for sale. Usually, this is a sign that there is something wrong that people are trying to run from such as crime, poor location or bad school districts. While this shouldn’t push you away from a house instantly, it’s something to keep in mind and look out for when you’re in the neighborhood.

Poor Maintenance

When you walk up to a house, it should be well maintained. This includes the grass being cut, shrugs cut back and a weed-free flower bed. Even if the sellers have been gone for a while, landscaping services should have been arranged.

Don’t immediately turn around when you see that the yard is a mess. Just keep it in mind as you walk inside. If you notice that the house looks like it hasn’t been well maintained, it’s likely there will be many problems that you’ll have to deal with if you purchase the home, catching up on all the work that was neglected over the past months or even years.

Smelly House

This goes for a bad and good smelling house. A bad smelling house could be that way forever. No amount of Febreeze will take care of it.

The flip side is if the house smells too good. When a house has a lot of air fresheners, it might be the seller’s way to mask an odor. This could be a horrible situation if you end up buying the house.

Give the seller the benefit of the doubt that they are trying to make the house smell good for you. Visit the house on other occasions to see if it still smells that way, and if you feel comfortable enough and serious about buying it, ask your realtor if they can ask the seller to take away the air fresheners. This way you can tour the house without that smell to find out what the home smells like naturally.

Fresh Paint…Only On One Wall

You have to wonder when only one wall has a fresh coat of paint. What is the seller hiding? If you like the rest of the house and want to buy it, just ask the inspector to pay particular attention to that wall to rule out any problems.

Off-Limit Areas

When touring a house for sale, you should be able to see all parts of it. If there is a room that is “off limits” according to the seller, ask the realtor if you can come back at another time to see it. Many times, the seller doesn’t want you to go into that room because it may be messy. However, there are times in which sellers are hiding something structural with the house. You should be able to see the entire house when you tour it, so be sure to do that before you get into a contract.

Window Problems

Replacing windows is a big expense that you may or may not be prepared to do when you buy the house. Check windows for water in between the double panes or for functionality. This way you’ll know if you will need to negotiate the price more to make up the cost of replacements.

Bugs

Where there is one, there are more. If you see spiders, ants or roaches, there’s likely many more throughout the home. This is not a deal breaker, but it is something to be aware of and should be a consideration. Some homebuyers will request that the sellers have the home treated for bugs and then checked before closing.

Look, Find and Decide

You now know what to look for in houses as a homebuyer. Don’t be swept away by the seemingly perfect appearance of the house. Look for the above red flags and ask about them. The more you know, the happier you’ll be when you sign on the dotted line.